I
don’t disagree that Justin Combs is a smart man. The same article said he is
graduating from Iona Prep in New Rochelle with a 3.75 GPA. I don’t disagree
that Justin Combs is a great athlete since he earned a scholarship to UCLA. What
I find issue with is that P. Diddy has WAY more money than most parents of
first semester students and can afford to send his son to UCLA, Harvard, and
Yale (all at the same time) without taking out a Parent PLUS loan.
As
much as it pains me to agree with Bill O’Reilly, it is not fair for money
earmarked for athletic scholarships to go to the son of an extremely wealthy
family. Yes, I understand that the money is collected from ticket sales and
corporate donations. Yes, I understand the scholarships are not based on
need, rather based on athletic abilities. However, this does not mean that
Justin has to accept the scholarship. How many students will be forced to
decline an offer to UCLA, because there is no more funding left? How many
students will delay or abandon their dream of attending UCLA, because the son
of a music mogul accepted a scholarship he does not need?
And
for those who are upset that I am harping on a hardworking student for earning
a great opportunity, remember this. Our nation’s education system is already skewed
towards those who can afford to be prepared for college and against those who
barely make it to graduation. Despite our core belief that everyone is entitled
to a quality education, that is not always true. For example, what if I am a
poor kid growing up in a moderately-sized city and my parents cannot afford to
move into a better school district? Rather than attending a suburban school
with other students who have the resources to start college preparation early,
I attend the city school that is plagued with overcrowded classrooms and
overworked guidance counselors.
Plus,
if my parents have never attended college, they may not know how to apply to
college, how to file for financial aid, or how to find scholarships. I may not
have access to Advanced Placement tests, specialty classes beyond the basic
curriculum, or internships. So, even if I am motivated to attend college, my school’s
reputation and my grades may not be enough to get into a school like UCLA (or any college). The cycle continues until I am competing for the same
job with college graduates, like Justin Combs, who went to UCLA or an Ivy
League college. Guess which one is more likely to get hired?
I
would have a tremendous amount of respect for P. Diddy and Justin Combs if he
refused the money. Not accepting the scholarship will not tarnish his future
football career or his academic successes. In fact, it would make him appear to
be more grateful for the opportunities he has thanks to his father’s talents.
And, he could say that he made it possible for a few more students to attend
UCLA.
Justin,
don’t let pride get in the way of doing the right thing.
PS: The article also
mentions Trey Griffey, son of baseball’s Ken Griffey, Jr., is receiving a free
ride to Arizona. I am just as annoyed by this story as I am about Justin Combs.
Personally I see no reason for controversy. An athletic scholarship is NOT a need base scholarship. Furthermore, since when is socioeconomic class a determining factor when awarding athletic scholarships. I find it rather hysterical that this is even an issue. I never have heard of an outcry when legacies, or students from affluent backgrounds that play say lacrosse or crew receives scholarships which make me wonder if there other elements not being mentioned... Either way, an athletic scholarship is not a need base merit scholarship and should not be confused as such. He should not have to return the scholarship he earned unless we are going to have CEOs, doctors, lawyers and more low profile millionaire children return their scholarships earned...
ReplyDeleteamen!
DeleteIf you earn it... you earn it. We should not be looking to someone's parents to decide what kind of financial assistance they get if they have put the work in. When can he get out of the shadow of who his father is?
ReplyDeleteYes, he earned it. However, parents' financials are used for all sorts of aid. I am not an expert on athletic funding, so I cannot say with certainty if it is a factor. But, I do know that how much one's family makes is considered when receiving federal (and my state) aid. I lost money, because of how much my parents made.
DeleteI agree that if you earn it, you earn it. With that said, I think this is could be a smart business move for the school. P. Diddy ( and Kim Porter) will be wined and dined by the foundation and the president and if it goes well, will probably fund more scholarships or donations.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! This is part of my point. P. Diddy could turn this whole thing into a major marketing event for himself. This could have a positive spin if they look at the big picture.
DeleteWhile Justin didn't need the scholarship to cover the cost at UCLA, he may have needed the designation as a football scholarship recruit to get into UCLA. While a 3.75 GPA may sound impressive, most of the prospective menbers of the freshmen class at UCLA have high school GPAs that exceed a 4.0, since an "A" in an AP or honors class earns more than 4 points. Since football recruits, and other students with "special attributes" (band, debate team, etc.) are admitted under different standards, the "football spot" may have been the only way for Justin to get into UCLA (unless P. Diddy was willing to donate lots of money). Since the NCAA sets how many football players UCLA can recruit, Justin may have had to accept the scholarship just to get admitred into UCLA.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this information. It is always good to know more about the very complicated process of higher education. This may be the case. I guess we may never know. Thanks for contributing!
DeleteIt is a great accomplishment that Justin Coombs received the scholarship, like he said, he worked for it. However, it is a shame and a character flaw that Justin doesn't feel compelled to give the scolarship, which amounts to about 1/7th the value of Justin's car, to someone who would never have the chance to attend UCLA without it.
ReplyDeleteOf the above comments, this is the statement that I agree with the most. Should he be allowed to receive the scholarship? Yes. To refuse it would be discriminatory. But should he be a decent person and donate it to needy UCLA students? Definitely. Heck, he could even start a scholarship fund in the name of him and his daddy. That would feed their egos, help other students, and it would cost them less than what they pay for toilet paper.
DeleteAbsolutely! I agree with both your comments. It is the perfect answer. He gets the scholarship and helps other students.
Delete